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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. shower — rain
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. track — a path
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. track — a song
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. rock — music
  11. branch — a division
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. shower — to wash
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mine — for digging

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com